Machine



Jan. 3l, V1928.

J. P. RICHARDSON WIRE CRIMPING MACHINE]4 Filed Feb'. 9. 1'925 4 sheets-shewv 1 /A/l/f/Vm? /irry imm H Jan. 3l, 1928.`

.1. P. RICHARDSON WIRE CRIMPING MACHINE Filed Feb. `9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 *A i... 1.... i fun y Jan? 3l,

J. P. RICHARDSON WIRE CRIMPING MACHINE Filed Feb 9' Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657 695 J. P. RICHARDSON WIRE CRIMPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Shea?, 4

Patented Jan. 3l, 1928.

UNITED STATES JSEPH l?. RXCHARDSON, OAKLAND, CALFORNIA.

WIRE-CRIMPING MACHINE.

Application filed February 9, 1925.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for crimping wire screen to form metal furl-ing of the character used in applying plaster, stucco, and the like upon the walls ot buildings, and particularly to a machine for crimping wire screen oli the character commonly known as chicken wire te form indentations in the strands thereof whereby the body et the screen may be held in spaced relation to a wall.

` The primary object ot my invention is to provide an improved machine for crimping,1 wire screen to liorm'selt spacing metal furring.

Another object is to provide a machine which will crimp screen to form separate indentations in the strands by stretching the wire adjacent the indentations and without reducing the effect-ive length and area et the screen.

A` further object to provide a machine of the character described which will provide indentations in longitudinally and transversely spaced relation.

Another object is to provide an improved machine of the character described havingl means for feeding1 wire screen between a pair of crimping rollers and adapted to align desired strands et said screen with the crimping means to form indentations at desired points along` the screen.

A further object is to provide an improved crimping machine adapted to crimp strands of wire screen ted therebetween from a roll of screen carried by a dispensing reel and provided with improved means tor rewinding the crimped screen to maint-ain a tension upon the screen and prevent shortening of the screen during the crimping thereof.

`Another object is to provide a device ot the character described provided with crimping rollers resiliently held in proximate relation to prevent shearing); oit the screen.

A still further object is to provide an iinproved machine which will be simple and positive in its operation and which will permit the etlicicnt crimping1 of screen at a nominal cost.

I accomplish these and otl'ier objects by means et the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part ot the pres-ent specification wherein like characters ot reference are used to designate similar parts throughout said speciication and drawings and in which,

seran nu. 7,912.

Fig. l is a trontelevation of my improved crimping` machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken upon the line 2-2 et Fig. l in the direction indicated.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine i showing the driving mechanism thereof,

Figs. 4- and 5 are enlarged sectional details showing the action ot the crimping die portions.

Fig. (i is a tansverse sectional view through the rewindingl means showing the structure thereof.

Fin'. 7 is a transverse section through the crimping roll bearings.

Referring' to the drawings the numeral l is used to designate in general the body iframe of the machine, said trame being supported upon suitable legs 2. A pair of crii'nping rollers 3 and 4l: are mounted upon the body l adjacent one end thereof and a pair of feed rollers 5 and 6 are mounted upon the body adjacent the opposite end th ereof.

The crimping; rollers are arranged in hori- Zontal parallellrelation with one roller directly above the other roller. One of the rollers, preferably the lower roller l is mounted within lined bearings 7 secured upon the sides et the trame l at the ends of said roller. The other roller 3 is mounted within bearings 8 slidably mounted within brackets 9 above the 'fixed bearings 7. Plates 11 mounted above the bearings 8 are engaged by springs 12 mounted upon bolts 13 extendinra,r through apertures in said plates and threaded into the upper ends el the brackets, said springs being placed under suflicient compression to normally depress the beaii'inpand resiliently hold the upper bearing; in proximate relation to the lower roller Jtor a purpose hereinafter more fully explained.

The lower crimping1 roller 4l is provided with a plurality ol radially disposed outwardly extending' male die portions lli termed upon the surface ot the'roller and arranged to be engaged by a like plurality of oppositely disposed female die portions 16. The die portions lli and 16 are spaced circumterentially around the roller so that for each rotation ot the rollers successive die portions will be moved into operative engagement to form crimps in spaced relation along a length et screen ted therebetween as hereinafter more YFully explained. The die portions are preferably made in relatively short lengths spaced longitudinally along the roller to allow a space in which the screen is not indented between adjacent die portions so that the indentations formed by said die portions may be spaced trans` versely across the width of the Screen.. The die portions are also preferablyoflset circumferentially with respect to the die'k p01'- tions adjacent the ends thereof so t-hat the indent'ations formed bv each-.set of dies will be spaced longitudinally ias well as transversely to adjacent indentions upon the screen. .This arrangement of the die portions is provided for the purpose of making furring.;l of the character disclosed in the copending-l application of @arl Gilmore, Serial Number v75927, filed February 9th, 1925, wherein the advantages of this particular arrangement is specifically explained. This specific'arrangement of the die portions may of course be modified in numerous ways to indent wire in any of a `great number of ways for different specific purposes and I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the precise arrangement of die elements herein disclosed. K

The feed Vvrollers 5- and oy aremounted in proximate relation tol engageand feed' a length of wire Ascreen from aroll 17T rotatably mounted between brackets 18V secured upon the rearward end of themachine. The feeding` rollers are arranged to engage the screen with suflicient pressure to feed; the lscreen forwardly to the crimping rollers and at they same `time straighten' out the screen so'th'at the screen will lie ila-t when eX- tended. rlhe upper feed roller 5 is provided withl aplurality of pins 19 varranged to pass through interstices of the screen andl to be receivedy within corresponding recesses 2l formed in the lower roll whereby the screen will be fed in uniform relation to the die portions of the crimping rollers and cause `avdesired portion f of the strands of said screen to'be engaged andi indented as hereinafter more fully explained. The feed rollers also engage the screenwith' sufficient pressure toprevent any longitudinal sliding movement of the screen when the strands are indented between the die portions of the crimping rollers thereby causing said strands to be stretched to form the loops without causing' Vany Vshortening of the screen and without reducing the total effective area of the screen. e

A guide 22' is. mounted betweenthe feeding rollers and the crimping rollers, said guide consisting of upper and lower 'plates adapted to hold the screen in flat position between said rollers and connected along the side toV hold Vthe screen in alignment with the crimping rollers.

rAfter, the* screen h-as been crimped between the crimping rollers 3` and 4 it is carriedl over an arcuateV guide surface to be rewound upon a rewinding roll 2li mounted between brackets 26 secured upon the adjacent end of the machine. The roll 2l is apertured at its ends to receive supporting elements 27 removably connected thereto and arranged to be received within bearings 28 and 29 formed upon the brackets Q6. @ne of said elements 27 is provided with a squared shank ol adapted to be inserted through a corresponding shaped aperture in a bushing 3Q rotatably moruited' within the bearing QS. A. friction plate S23 is secured in connection with the outer end of the bushing 32. A gear Siri rotatably mounted adjacent the plate 33 upon an extension-35 of the bushing 32 said gear I-lv being provided with a friction surface ranged to be held in frict-ional el'igagement with the plate 33 by means of a plate 3G held against the opposite side of the gear by means of springs 3T mounted upon bolts 3S threaded through the outer plate 3G, and into the extension 35 of the bushing 32 whereby a frictional driving` contact Y will be maintained between the sides of the gear and the plates. The gear Si is arranged to be driven by a pinion 39 mounted upon a shaft atl and driven by a sprocket chain l2 engaging a sprocket 11:3 associated with said pinion 39. The shaft 4l is mounted upon a bar 4A' pivotally mounted upon the machine as at if', saidV bar being pivotally movable to permit the pinion Si) to be lifted out of engagement with the gear to facilitate the placing and removal of the roll 2l and the attachment of the screen upon said roll.

The feeding and' crimping rollers are ro tated siniultaneously in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed by means of a motor 47 connected to said rollers through a suitable train of gears consisting of a driving pinion 48 mounted upon a main drive shaft e9 driven by the motor through 'a chain 5l mounted over sprockets 52 and V53. The pinion i8 meshes with ay large gear mounted upon a shaft 56 upon which is mounted a pinion 57. Large gears 58 mounted upon outwardly extending ends of shafts 59 and @l mesh with the pinion 57 upon opposite sides thereof, said shafts Fill and (it fari-ying the lower crimping roller and feed roller respectively. Gears GQ and G25 mounted upon the shafts 5f) and (il respectively cngage corresponding` gears (Si and GG carried by the shafts GT and (3S o l" the upper crimping rollers and feed roller respectively whereby said upper rollers will. be positively driven by the corresponding lower rollers.

The gears are designed to obtain a desired speed reduction between the motor 417 and the feed and crimping rollers.

ln operation` a roll of screen to be crimped is mounted upon a rod 69 n'iounl'ed between the brackets 1S. rihe screen used is preferllU chicken wire 4roll 17 between theteed rollers 5 and 6, 1 through the `guide 22 and thence between the crimping` rollers El and 4. The end ol the screen is tarried downwardly and connected to the roll 24. lhen now the machine is setinmotion the screen will be unrolled from the roll 17 by the feed rollers and ied saidscreen. This result is accomplished by holding the screen between the i'eed rollers in such manner that sliding movement of the screen is prevented.

As the screen is moved t'rom between the crimping rollers it is rewound upon the roll 24 which is frictionally driven by the gear 34. The gear 34 is driven by the chain 42 which in turn is driven by means of a pinion 72 mounted upon a bracket 73 and meshing with one of the gears 58, said pinion being mounted in connection with a sprocket arranged to receive said chain 42. The friction between the sides of the gear 34 and the plates 33 and 36 is sulicient to rotate the bushing 32 and the roll 24, and at the same time to permit sutlicient slippage to lreep the screen drawn .tight between the crimping rollers and the roll 24 without straightening out the indentations formed in the screen, and also to insure the proper winding of the screen as the diameter of the roll increases.

The continuous rotation ot the screen causesl indentations to be made at regular intervals throughout the length and width of the screen.

The die portions 14 and 16 are preferably so arranged thatthe indentations will be formed upon the twisted strands forming opposite sides of interstices, said strands being indented to term separate and independent loops extending upwardly :trom the screen. As the screen is rewound into a roll, the loops, being formed independently from the strands of wire along the sides of interstices, are received within the interstices of succes sive layers of screen so that the crimped screen may be rolled into a roll ot the same size as the original flat screen beliore crimping. The rollers and the rewinding means is so arranged that the lugs will be outwardly disposed with respect to the rolled screen whereby the screen may be unrolled along a wall and the lues caused to engage said wall and hold the main body ol the screen in spaced relation to the wall.

The resilient mounting oi the upper crimping roller 3 is particularly provided to avoid the possibility of shearing the screenbetween the die portions 14 and 1G. llfhen opposite die portions move into engaging relation as shown in Figs. 4V and 5 oi' the drawings, the

strands of wire are pressed by the male die member 16 into the opposite die portion. 1G to shape the loops. The spring 15 permit the upper crimping roller to be lifted slightly against the pressure of said springs whereby the wire may be pressed itirmly into shape without danger of shearing through the screen. The springs also provide a resilient pressure adapted to compensate 'for any diiference in the thickness or number of the wire strands engaged between the rollers 3 and 4.

Frein the above explanation it will be seen that l have provided a new and improved machine oit the character described. lWhile l have illustrated and described only what I now consider to be the preferred ilorm of my invention, the specific form and arrangement and the details oit construction may ci course be modified in numerous ways without departing from the spirit oi' my invcntion. I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the precise structure disclosed `butwi sh to avail myself oit such modifications as may `tall within thescope oi the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire crimpingmachine comprising a pair ot' crimping rollers resiliently mounted in proximate relation, said rollers being provided with oppositely disposed male and `female die portions to 'form loops in wire screen by stretchingl strands thereof adja* cent said die portions; iteed rollers adapted to leed the screen to the crimping rollers; and means for rotating the crimping rollers and the feed rollers in timed relation; and

means mounted upon the teed rollers and engaging interstices of the screen for aligning desired portions ot the strands with the die portions 03E the crimping rollers; and means lor rotatin the crimping rollers and the Yleed rollers in timed relation.

2. A wire crimping machine comprising a pair o'l crimping rollers resiliently mounted in proximate relation, said rollers being provided with opposit-ely disposed male and emale die portions adapted to Ylorm loops in wire screen by stretching strands thereof ad jacent said die portions; feed rollers adapt cd to feed the screen to the crimping1 rollers; and a guide mounted between the feed rollers and the Vcrimping1 rollers for holding the screen flat and in alignment with the rollers.

3. A wire crimping machine comprising a mate relation, said rollers being,- provided with oppositely disposed male and female die portions adapted to formv loops in wire screen` by i indentingl strands thereof at spacedl points along a roll of screen fed therebetween; and means for rotating the rollers; and feed rollersmounted in spaced relation kto the crimping rollers for feeding thescreeir and for holding said screen while said screen is engaged: between die portions of the crimping rollers whereby the strands may be stretched lto form indentations without shortening the screen or reducing the surface area thereof.

V 4r. A wire crimpingl machine comprising a pair of crimping rollers mounted in proximate relation, said rollers being provided withopposi'tely disposed male andv female die portions adapted to form loops in wire screen by indenting strands thereof at spaced points along a roll of' screen fed therebetween; and means forrotating the die portions adapted to form loops in wire screen by indenting,` strands thereof at spaced points alongv a roll of screen fed therebetween; and means for rotatingl the rollers; feed rollers rotated simultaneously with the crin'iping rollers for feeding screen therebetween; a reel mounted upon one end of the machine and adapted to support a roll of screen to be dispensed between the rollers; and rewinding means mounted upon the opposite end of the machine for winding the crimped screen into ak roll.

G. A wire crimping machine comprising a pair of crimpingl rollers mounted in proximate relation, said rollers being provided with oppositely disposed male and female die portions adapted to form loops in wire screen by indenting` strands thereof at spaced points along a. roll of screen fed therebetween; a pair of feed rollers adapted to feed screen between the crimping` rollers; means for rotating the crimping` rollers and the feed rollers; means mounted upon one end of the machine for supporting a. roll of screen to be dispensed to the feed rollers; and frictionally driven rewinding means mounted upon the opposite end of the machine for rewind'ing` the crimped screen into a roll.

ln witness whereof I hereunto set my sig nature.

JOSEPH l). RICHARDSON. 

